Unwan rose to his feet, holding a stone he had picked up from the ground, and moved away from the rug. He passed through several groups of people. Everyone was trying to find as much space as possible, and Unwan, too, wanted to keep what might happen next hidden. If it were just a single spell, nothing serious would come of it. But too many variables were gathered here.
This was Unwan's first class in the Faculty of "Spell Control and Concentration". From the very first day, he was already adding a new spell to his grimoire. On top of that, his grimoire stood out — it was purple, a color no one else seemed to have. Naturally, such a chain of unusual events could not go unnoticed. That alone was reason enough to be cautious.
Unwan found a suitable spot. There were still students around him. They could see him, but he was farther away than before. If he moved any more, he might end up disappearing into the trees.
He placed the stone on the ground, pointed his hand toward it, and marked his hand upon it. In his mind, he focused on activating the spell. He intended to lift it into the air. But not in the same way as before.
'Inverted force, upward.'
When he had lifted the rug earlier, the ceiling had blocked the sky. But now, he stood beneath the open heavens.
When Unwan used spell indoors, he had concluded that the gravity between the ground and the rug was first neutralized. However, because his hand continued to move, that gravity immediately shifted, becoming similar to the force between the ceiling and the rug. From complete neutralization, the only possible transition was into reversed gravity.
If this principle could be refined, it might lead to a new form of gravity. One that functioned differently from anything before. Once again, the page describing spells in the grimoire opened.
Unwan slowly raised his hand. The stone did not move. But he knew, gravity was beginning to weaken. He lifted his hand higher. Still, the stone remained unmoved.
And yet...
The grimoire began to change.
A satisfied smile appeared on Unwan's face.
Between two existing spells, new runic symbols started to form in black ink. They appeared slowly at first, testing his patience. Then, suddenly, the writing accelerated. New characters formed before he could even finish reading the previous ones. As soon as the runic description of the spell was completed, the stone began to rise gently into the air.
Unwan laughed.
Why not? He had discovered something he had once overlooked in his own studies. Relying on his intellect, he had turned that small oversight into an idea. From there, he had grasped what suited magic itself and transformed it into a spell's foundation. And now, thanks to that idea, the stone was floating upward.
He raised his hand higher more. The stone accelerated.
drabeck
This spell might be small, even considered nearly useless, but it removed the need for auxiliary objects in many situations. Its only drawback was that it demanded far more spiritual energy than his other spells. Though this had not yet been proven, the likelihood was high.
Out of pure curiosity, Unwan continued to increase the spell's power. There was no real risk, it did not consume any more energy. Eventually, the stone disappeared from sight altogether. Worried that it might fall onto someone, Unwan carefully reversed the force and guided the stone back down, landing it safely.
'An impressive flight, wouldn't you say?'
'Indeed. Next time, try something heavier, perhaps a double-edged sword.'
'That sounds like bad sarcasm.'
'Is there such a thing as good-natured sarcasm?'
Turning around, Unwan headed back toward his rug. He weaved through the crowd, returned to his spot, and resumed meditating. The session went well. Although no new ideas came to him, it greatly helped him calm both body and mind.
Fifteen to twenty minutes after Unwan returned, the instructors came back. They instructed the students to increase the distance between one another while practicing their spells and granted permission to use spells. Though only in small amounts. From all this, Unwan realized that today was meant to be a practical day for the faculty.
He approached one of the instructors and asked for permission to leave. The instructor sighed, but there was nothing else to be done. He was allowed to go.
Unwan entered the academy building and made his way toward the library. Where else would he go? He had acquired a new spell, after all, and reading its description was bound to be exciting. The dining hall, the library, and similar facilities were all located along the academy's main corridor, so finding it was not difficult.
As Unwan entered, a student stood by the door. However, he was not wearing the standard uniform. His clothes resembled those of a volunteer. He looked at Unwan and asked coldly.
— What do you need from the library?
The answer came from Unwan's indifferent expression.
— A language of runes dictionary.
— For translation?
'What else could it be for?'
— Yes.
The student took out some kind of mechanical device and turned it. Then he said.
— One hour.
— Thank you.
Inside, everything Unwan needed was within reach, except ink. Fortunately, the desks already had some. The number of books was overwhelming; the room itself was more like a hall. As Unwan searched for the book he needed, he noticed that some letters occupied two or even three shelves of titles.
At last, he found the dictionary and sat down at a desk. He took out paper from his pocket and prepared the ink. While the grimoire hovered beside him, he commanded it to open the spell section. The moment it did, the real work began.
Unwan focused on making the translation as accurate as possible. Perhaps that was why he ended up liking the name of the spell. Even so, one hour felt far too short. Just the day before Yesterday, it had taken him nearly an entire day to translate three pages.
Still, Unwan managed.
In the end, the following text emerged.
[Existing Spells]
[Changing Spell], [Weightlessness Spell], [Negative Gravity Spell]
[Negative Gravity – Description:]
[The gravitational force between two objects is weakened, neutralized, and ultimately reversed. The objects remain under the influence of gravity; however, a negative force now governs it. This spell may be used simultaneously with, or consecutively after, Changing Spell. Depending on the object's natural gravity and weight, the required amount of spiritual energy may increase.
Energy Cost: 35 spiritual energy]